Retrospective: Paris - How we started

1.9 Linda West - Say good bye
Summer 1993, Mae's apartment

Linda looked around the one-room appartement her sister would live in the next two years. It was really tiny, and for some reason unknown to her, had the shower in the kitchen. But it came fully furnished and had most household supplies included.

"...and I bet there will be a secret after-party where you can really meet all the other students! I mean, those school-organized get togethers are so stiff!"
Mae barely stopped talking since they left the plane, where she had slept through the whole flight.

Linda was happy to see her sister being herself again. She was chatty as always, and excited to start university here in Paris.
"Let's go, before you'll be late for your plane back!", Mae said.

But then her face became worried again. "Mom will be okay, no?", she asked.

"Of course. I'll take care of her now, I promise", Linda replied. And she was determined to do so. For too long she had left all the care in her younger sister's hands.
In fact, Mae had ran the full household, taken care of all bills and appointments be done in time, and made sure that the two sisters and their mother had a warm meal every day, while still going to high school.

And Linda could only feel ashamed that she had realized it so late. In her own grief over their father's death four years ago, she had fully dived into her studies in university, and barely noticed the changes at home. Their mother became more and more apathic, let the household slide and occasionally even forgot to take care of herself, and more of her teenaged daughters. 

Nevertheless, Mae always had been a very happy and caring girl. She was the anchor that held their family together. 

Until Mae's last year of high school. Slowly she had become quiet, and her friends had stopped coming over. Linda wasn't really sure what had happened, but it was a wake up call for her that something had to change.
And Linda was glad she could convince her sister to follow her dream and study professional cooking and nutrition here in Paris, even though Mae had been hesitant at first.

"Good bye, sweetie!", Linda hugged her sister tightly. She would miss her. But Mae would be happier here, she was sure.
If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Mae.